The Congress on Sunday responded strongly to the Bharatiya Janata Party's demand that Chief Vigilance Commissioner P.J. Thomas, whose name figured in a charge sheet in the palmolein scandal, when he was serving in the Kerala government, should be asked to step down, ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on his appointment as CVC on Monday.
“It is highly improper,” party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi told The Hindu , “for anyone, including the BJP, to make gratuitous comments on the appointment and continuance as CVC (of Mr Thomas). Is the BJP a super court to give a verdict on the matter?”
At the last hearing on November 22, the Supreme Court asked Attorney General (AG) G.E. Vahanvati to take instructions on whether Mr. Thomas could continue in the sensitive post of CVC, as a charge sheet was pending against him. On that day, when the AG produced the files on Mr. Thomas' appointment, Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia, who is heading a three-judge Bench, told the AG, “We need to go through the files.” On Monday (December 6), the AG will respond to the Supreme Court's query, and the Supreme Court will give its opinion on the appointment of Mr. Thomas.
Meanwhile, within the Congress, there is still a strong view that Mr. Thomas should step down, as he has “become a liability” for the party, subjecting them to target practice by the opposition daily. The problem, however, party sources stressed, is that the CVC would have to step down on his own accord as he cannot be sacked -- only the President of India can remove a CVC after an enquiry, they pointed out. Now, these sources added, they hope Mr. Thomas will respond to the court's observations on Monday, in case it makes a negative pronouncement against him, and step down and save the party further embarrassment.
Mr. Thomas, meanwhile, seems to have garnered the support of fellow IAS officers from Kerala as well as the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, who described the attack on the CVC as a trial by the media.
